7 IOJ, NIP leaders held for inciting communal strife
Police yesterday detained seven leaders of Islami Oikya Jote (IOJ) and Nezami Islami Party (NIP) on charge of assisting Rohingya people to enter into the country and giving provocative speech against Rakhine people living in Cox's Bazar.
The detainees are IOJ district unit general secretary Afsar Uddin Chowdhury, NIP district unit vice presidents Enamul Haque, AHM Nurul Kabir Hilali and Abdul Haque, IOJ leader Ershad Ullah, Islami Chhatra Samaj district unit's Abul Manjur and a madrasa teacher Abu Bakkar Siddique.
All of them were detained at Cox's Bazar sadar police station.
Police and witnesses said the detained IOJ leaders at a meeting yesterday demanded that the border with Myanmar should be opened so that Rohingya people can enter into the country. The meeting was organised at a hotel in Laldighir Par area in the town around 11:00am. They also threatened to launch attack on Rakhine people living in Cox's Bazar and other areas.
On information, police rushed to the spot and detained the seven leaders. However, some other senior leaders managed to flee the scene.
Kamrul Islam, officer-in-charge of Cox's Bazar police station, said the leaders were detained on charge of their involvement in anti-state activities including assisting Rohingya people to enter the country and giving provocative speech against Rakhine people.
“We are looking for other leaders who are involved in the conspiracy. Moreover, we are trying to detain those who pasted posters with provocative speech in the town,” he added.
IOJ district unit president Chhalamat Ullah said, “We have organised a press conference demanding shelter of oppressed Rohingya people of Myanmar. The allegations of threatening attack on Rakhine people and provocative speech are not true,” he added.
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